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Test Format and Scoring

The CELPIP-General Test is completely computer-delivered and is taken at one of our designated test centres.

To complete this test, test takers must know how to use a computer mouse and standard keyboard.

Format

Here is a breakdown of each CELPIP-General Test component in the order in which test takers will be completing them.

Test Component

Time Allotted

Number of Questions

Component Sections

Listening

40 minutes

8

Part 1: Identifying Similar Meanings

8

Part 2: Answering Questions

5

Part 3: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

6

Part 4: Listening for Information

5

Part 5: Listening to a News Item

6

Part 6: Listening to Viewpoints

5-8

Part 7: Unscored Items*

Reading

60 minutes

11

Part 1: Reading Correspondence

8

Part 1: Reading to Apply a Diagram

9

Part 3: Reading for Information

10

Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints

8-11

Part 5: Unscored Items*

Writing

60 minutes

1

Part 1: Writing an Email

1

Part 2: Responding to an Opinion Survey

Speaking

20 minutes

1

Part 0: Practice Question

1

Part 1: Giving Advice

1

Part 2: Talking about a Personal Experience

1

Part 3: Describing a Scene

1

Part 4: Making Predictions

1

Part 5: Comparing and Persuading

1

Part 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation

1

Part 7: Expressing Opinions

1

Part 8: Describing an Unusual Situation

Total test time allotted is 180 minutes or 3 hours.

*Unscored Items: The Listening and Reading components each contain unscored items used for test development. These unscored items can be found anywhere within the Listening and Reading components and you will not know which items will be unscored.

Note: The timing and format of the CELPIP-General Test will be changing starting August 2015. If your test date is after August 2015, please click here to see the revised format and timing of the test.

Scoring

Each component of the test (listening, reading, writing and speaking) will be given a CELPIP Level. Below is a chart of each CELPIP-General level and its corresponding description. Since the CELPIP-General Test scores have been calibrated against the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) levels, we have included the CLB level equivalencies for your information.